(posted on April 15, 2010)

Seventeen Horry County Schools elementary, middle and high schools are among more than 400 public schools to have earned recognition for academic achievement and closing achievement gaps in 2009. In its ninth year, the Palmetto Gold and Palmetto Silver awards program was created for South Carolina schools attaining high levels of absolute performance, high rates of growth and substantial progress in closing achievement gaps between groups of students.      

Schools received general awards for overall performance based on both the absolute and growth ratings and the growth index found on school report cards. These ratings are determined by Palmetto Assessment for State Standards (PASS) scores for elementary and middle schools.  For high schools, the ratings are based on Exit Exam results, graduation rate and percentage of students passing end-of-course tests.

A second awards selection procedure is based upon steady growth demonstrated over a minimum of two consecutive years.  A school may qualify for a Silver Award if the school’s absolute performance rating is above School at Risk for the most recent year, and its growth index meets defined criteria.

General Performance Gold Award winners are: Green Sea Floyds High School, Lakewood Elementary School, Midland Elementary School, Forestbrook Elementary School, St. James Middle School, Carolina Forest Elementary School, Seaside Elementary School, Ocean Bay Elementary School, Burgess Elementary School, the  Academy for the Arts, Science, and Technology, and the Academy for Technology and Academics.

General Performance Silver Award winners are: Socastee High School, Aynor Elementary School, and Waccamaw Elementary School.

Closing the Achievement Gap Awards

Schools received closing the achievement gap awards based on academic gains made by students who fall into four subgroups -- African American students, Hispanic students, students participating in federal free- or reduced-price lunch programs and students with non-speech disabilities.  The state’s Education Oversight Committee set awards criteria.  

Elementary or middle schools qualify for a Gold award if at least one of these subgroups meets or exceeds high-achieving student scores in both English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. A Silver award is given if at least one subgroup meets end-of-year high performance in ELA or mathematics or shows exceptional achievement growth.

High schools may receive a Gold Closing the Gap Award if the graduation rate of at least one subgroup meets or exceeds the statewide graduation rate of historically high-achieving students.  A Silver award means at least one subgroup’s graduation rate meets or exceeds the rate needed to meet the state’s graduation goal of 88.3 per cent by 2014.
 
Closing the Achievement Gap Gold Award winners are: Lakewood Elementary School, Midland Elementary School, Forestbrook Elementary School, Carolina Forest Elementary School, and Green Sea Floyds High School.

Closing the Achievement Gap Silver Award winners are: Aynor Elementary School, Waccamaw Elementary School, Seaside Elementary School, Ocean Bay Middle School, Aynor High School, Socastee High School, and Carolina Forest High School.